Ming Shan Shui Yue Temple

Ming Shan Shui Yue Temple

Shui Yue Temple in Ming Shan is a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

Shui Yue Temple, an ancient temple originally built during the Tang Dynasty, has been elevated from a county-level cultural relics protection unit to a provincial-level one. With its blue tiles and red walls, just how many little-known stories lie hidden within? Recently, a team of reporters traveled to Che Ling Town in Ming Shan County to visit this thousand-year-old temple...

The only remaining ruins of Shui Yue Temple consist of two large houses with blue-tiled roofs and red earthen walls, spaced more than 10 meters apart. Each covers a similar area of about 100 square meters, but their roof designs differ: one has a three-tiered roof with carved dragons atop the pillars on either side of the main entrance, while the other has a two-tiered roof with overlapping beams along the eaves.

According to the Che Ling Town Annals and the Tong Zhi (General Records) written by Hong Yong, the abbot of Shui Yue Temple in the 25th year of the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty (1489), the temple was first established in the Tang Dynasty and was known as “Niao Jiu Ling Zhi Yuan” (Birds and Vultures Sacred Garden). In the 25th year of the Shaoxing era of the Song Dynasty (1155), it was granted the name “Shui Yue Chan Yuan” (Shui Yue Zen Monastery) by imperial decree. It was burned down during the late Song and early Yuan dynasties. In the 7th year of the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty (1347), the monk Shang Jue Xian, then abbot of the temple, oversaw the reconstruction of the main hall. During the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty, paintings of the Four Heavenly Kings and the Huayan realm were created. In the 7th year of the Zhengtong era (1442), after Monk Shan Cong petitioned the imperial court and received approval, a monastic administrative office was established, and he was appointed as an official monk. In the 1st year of the Chenghua era (1465), the Guanyin Hall was constructed. In the 5th year of Chenghua (1469), Monks Hai Yin and Yong Hong jointly built the Bao Lian Bridge. In the 3rd year of the Wanli era (1575), the Ling Zu Tian Wang Hall was built. During the Hongwu era, eminent Buddhist monks Shang Pu Ming and Shang Miao Wu composed the “Chan Men Pu Fo Yi Gui” (Common Ritual Procedures of the Zen Sect, a must-recite text for Buddhists), which gained widespread fame. Along with the Gan Lu Zu Shi Dao Chang (Sacred Site of Master Gan Lu) at Chan Hui Temple on Meng Ding Mountain, it became a sacred Buddhist site. Later, due to the decline in Buddhist practice, by the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty, the temple had fallen into severe disrepair. In the 1st year of the Guangxu era (1875), Jue Xuan arrived from Dong Chan Temple in Suining and, unable to bear seeing the former foundation destroyed, undertook the reconstruction of the Guanyin Hall, completing it in 1876. Successive disciples of Jue Xuan — Chang Hong, Long Xiang, Neng Fu, Ren Zhen, Sheng Fang, and Guo Ling — took turns presiding over temple ceremonies. Starting in 1933 (the 22nd year of the Republic of China), Guo Ling traveled to various temples including Ningbo’s Tiantong Temple, Hangzhou’s Lingyin Temple, Xi’an’s Wolong Temple, Henan’s Shaolin Temple, and Luoyang’s White Horse Temple. The temple once housed woodblock-printed sutras of the Avatamsaka Sutra, Ksitigarbha Sutra, and Vajra Sutra. On the 19th days of the 2nd, 6th, and 9th lunar months — the Guanyin Festivals — devotees and Buddhist followers from far and wide would gather here, staying for several days.

In 1953, the Buddhist statues in Shui Yue Temple were destroyed. In 1958, the temple was converted into a school. In 1989, the main hall (formerly the classroom) was listed as a “Ming Shan County Cultural Relics Protection Unit.” Since then, the only two remaining halls have been preserved.